Drought mitigation technologies can be categorized as physical, biological, or chemical. These technologies are typically implemented when water is unavailable, has been restricted due to natural deficiencies in rainfall, or has been otherwise limited through governmental regulation.
Physical means of drought mitigation in the fields of agriculture, landscaping, sports turf, and similar industries refers to the implementation of water absorbent compounds within the soil strata. These compounds are generally comprised in whole or in part of poly-acrylic acid sodium salt, also known as sodium polyacrylate or “superabsorbent polymer.” Such compounds absorb many times their weight in water and slowly release it to the surrounding media. This technology can extend the time plants can survive drought conditions, though the volume of water used to sustain the plants must be provided in advance to hydrate the compounds.
Biological means of drought mitigation are demonstrated in technologies such as genetic engineering and through methods and applications which increase the overall health of the plant, thereby making the plant more resilient when faced with drought conditions. Genetic engineering can isolate genetic markers which allow for a genetically engineered specimen to sustain itself on less water as compared to a naturally occurring specimen. This methodology is typically employed in regard to water management to allow for greater efficiency in harvesting (ex. genetically modified potatoes that retain less water aid in mechanical harvesting.
Chemical means of drought mitigation involve the use of hygroscopic and humectant compounds which attract and hold water. This methodology requires chemical engineering that allows such compounds to remain in the root-zone and bind to tiny root hairs on the specimen. These chemical compounds are then able to attract water vapor which is present in the soil strata, though unusable to plants, and convert it into water droplets which are then transferred through the root system. Drought mitigation through chemical means is also seen through the introduction of surfactants (also known as “wetting agents”), which are products designed to lower the surface tension of liquid, thereby allowing the applied water to spread out more uniformly instead of channeling. This may increase the efficiency of the water that is applied, thereby conferring greater actual benefit to the plant specimen than with water alone.